Effect of a Shock Micro-Cycle on Biochemical Markers in University Soccer Players

This study aimed to examine various biochemical biomarkers changes during a shock micro-cycle in soccer players from a university team. The study had 22 players (age: 22 ± 3 years; body mass: 68.6 ± 7.1 kg; height: 1.73 ± 0.07 m). The study measured total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol linked to high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), arterial index (AI), creatine kinase (CK), glutamate-oxalacetate-transaminase (GOT), glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase (GPT), creatinine (Cr), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytokines IL6 and TNFα, total antioxidant capacity (Cap antiox tot), hemolysis percentage and glomerular filtration rate (GFR); measurements were conducted during a shock micro-cycle. The lipid profile variables had no statistical significance when compared on day 1 with day 14. Except for TNFα, the other biomarkers compared with day one had progressive increments until day seven, with a subsequent reduction on day 14; however, none of the biomarkers returned to baseline values despite this decrease. The data shown herein suggest the need to research these biomarkers in distinct types of mesocycles, exercise, intensity, load, and duration to diminish fatigue and improve athlete performance.

Characterizing Isozymes of Spanish Cherimoya Cultivars

Isozymes have been used as genetic markers to characterize seven Spanish cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) cultivars. Fifteen enzyme systems were analyzed. Ten varied [aconitase (ACO, EC 4.2.1.3), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, EC 1.1.1.1), glutamate oxalacetate transaminase (GOT, EC 2.6.1.1), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH, EC 1.1.1.42), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP, EC 3.4.11.1), malate dehydrogenase (MDH, EC 1.1.1.37), phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI, EC 5.3.1.9), phosphoghtcomutase (PGM, EC 2.7.5.1), shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH, EC 1.1.1.25), and triose phosphate isomerase (TPI, EC 5.3.1.1)] and five did not [acid phosphatase (ACPH, EC 3.1.3.2), diaphorase (DIA, EC 1.6.4.3), malic enzyme (ME, EC 1.1.1.40), 6-phosphogluconic dehydrogenase (6PGDH, EC 1.1.1.44), and superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1)]. Two cultivars, Campa and Campa Mejorada, had identical banding patterns for all enzymes tested. All others were identified as distinct cultivars because of isozyme differences. The identical isozyme profiles of `Campa' and `Campa Mejorada' probably indicate that they are the same cultivar. A cluster analysis of isozyme profiles showed that Spanish cultivars were clearly different from Californian cultivars.

Étude de quelques aspects du métabolisme carboné et azoté chez l'Arceuthobium oxycedri, gui nain du genévrier

In juniper dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium oxycedri (DC) M. Bieb., a hemiparasitic and epiphytic Angiosperm characterized by very reduced and slow development, the chlorophyll content of the shoots is relatively high for a parasitic plant. However, gas exchanges reveal a low net gain in carbon, and the real photosynthetic intensity is only about 1.5 to 2 times higher than the respiratory intensity in these organs. In the endophytic system, which is also chlorophyllous, a small amount of photosynthetic activity also occurs. By studying 14CO2 assimilation and carboxylase activities in both organs, it was possible to determine the ability of the parasite to satisfy part of its carbon requirements. Following the administration of 14CO2, radioactivity was mainly recovered in carbohydrates and to a lesser extent in organic acids and amino acids. This demonstrates that A. oxycedri has some autonomy for the fixation and distribution of carbon into various compounds. On the other hand, the parasite, since it is epiphytic, is completely dependent upon its host for nitrogen. The study of the activities of the key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reductases, glutamine synthetase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase) shows that nitrogen supply from the host certainly occurs mainly in the form of reduced nitrogenous compounds (ammonia and (or) aminated organic compounds). The numerous labelled amino acids recovered after administration of 14CO2 show that A. oxycedri is able to redistribute the imported nitrogen in various ways. Key words: Arceuthobium oxycedri, parasitic Angiosperms, carbon nutrition, nitrogen nutrition.

Isozyme Markers for Cultivar Identification in Guayule

Leaf extracts of 500 plants from 47 guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) entries including AZ-101, Gila, Cal-3, Cal-6, and Cal-7 germplasms; 12 accessions from Mexico; and a diverse array of diploid, triploid, and tetraploid selections were analyzed for isozyme variation of 17 enzyme systems. Glutamate oxalacetate transaminase (GOT, EC 2.6.1.1), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH, EC 1.1.1.42), malate dehydrogenase (MDH, EC 1.1.1.37), phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI, EC 5.3.1.9), shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH, EC 1.1.1.25), and triosephosphate isomerase (TPI, EC 5.3.1.1) produced sharp and well-resolved bands. With the exception of AZ-101 and Gila, intra- and inter-accession polymorphisms were present for the above enzymes. Plants of AZ-101 and Gila showed identical banding patterns for every enzyme, supporting the view that these two germplasms may be the apomictic progenies of a single selection. Isozyme variations within entries indicated that most of the available guayule germplasms and selections are heterogeneous. Differences between entries suggested that isozymes may provide useful markers for cultivar identification.

Effect of bicarbonate on glutamine and glutamate metabolism by rat kidney cortex mitochondria

Isolated rat kidney cortex mitochondria were incubated at pH 7.4 in the presence or absence of a CO2/bicarbonate buffer (28 mM) to investigate the pH-independent role of bicarbonate on glutamine and glutamate metabolism. Changes in the concentration of key intermediates and products during the incubations were used to calculate metabolite flux rates through specific mitochondrial enzymes. With 1 mM glutamine and 2 mM glutamate as substrates, bicarbonate caused an inhibition of glutamate oxalacetate transaminase flux and a stimulation of glutamate deamination. The same effects were also produced with addition of either aminooxyacetate or malonate. These effects of bicarbonate were prevented when 0.2 mM malate was included as an additional substrate. Bicarbonate ion was identified as a potent competitive inhibitor of rat kidney cortex succinate dehydrogenase. These results indicate that aminooxyacetate, malonate, and bicarbonate all act to stimulate glutamate deamination through a suppression of glutamate transamination, and that the control by transamination of glutamate deamination is due to alterations in alpha-ketoglutarate metabolism. In contrast, in mitochondria incubated with glutamine in the absence of glutamate, bicarbonate was found to inhibit glutamate dehydrogenase flux. This effect was found to be due in part to the lower intramitochondrial pH observed in incubations with bicarbonate. These findings indicate that bicarbonate ion, independent of pH, may have an important regulatory role in renal glutamine and glutamate metabolism.